• Category: Announcements

May 15, 2024

Xbox Recognizes Global Accessibility Awareness Day

• Gaming Accessibility Team

Global Accessibility Awareness Day is an opportunity to continue to recognize our community of players with disabilities, whose partnership and advocacy have helped create an inclusive and thriving global gaming community. There are over 450 million players with disabilities worldwide, and we want to highlight the importance of accessibility so gaming can be enjoyed by as many players as possible across all facets of the Xbox community.  

At the same time, we acknowledge that accessibility is an ongoing journey to which Xbox remains committed. We created Xbox for players around the world as a place to play, to build community, and have fun. Everyone is invited to play, and we strive to bring intentional, inclusive practices and thinking to everything we do. As part of this journey, we are continuously partnering with the disability community to help shape our accessibility products and services, proactively collaborating with nonprofit organizations, and taking the time to listen and learn when we miss the mark.  

Across all of gaming, we are doing important work to make gaming more accessible, welcoming, and inclusive. Whether it’s empowering game developers with tools like the Gaming for Everyone Product Inclusion Framework, unveiling the Xbox Adaptive Controller User Guide Hub for players, providing accessibility support at events such as Xbox Games Showcase, Gamescom, and Xbox Partner Preview or launching new in-game features, the team looks forward to continuing progress.  

Ahead of Global Accessibility Awareness Day, we also want to highlight new updates and accessible features, community support, resources and more.   

This includes: 

• Providing new updates for those impacted by the unauthorized accessories update on Xbox, including updates to the Xbox Adaptive Controller, and a continued commitment to investing in accessibility-focused hardware, working with accessibility hardware manufacturers to become authorized Designed for Xbox partners, and listening to community feedback. 

• Announcing the Proteus Controller (available for preorder), a Designed for Xbox video game controller kit featuring innovative ‘snap and play’ parts that easily connect together and allow players the ability to play their favorite Xbox and PC games right out of the box.   

• Announcing accessibility updates across gaming, including spotlighting some of our games with accessibility features including Candy Crush Soda Saga, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III, and Diablo IV.  

• …and more! 

Fostering Inclusive Community

Gaming is about bringing people together to connect and join shared joyful experiences. To promote awareness and knowledge of accessibility support among all of our players, we’re excited to share the following:  

• Coming in June: Earn the new Xbox Ambassador Accessibility Ally Badge for your Xbox profile: Want to add a new community badge to your Xbox profile? Beginning in early June, you can earn the Xbox Ambassador Accessibility Ally badge for your Xbox profile by completing quests and knowledge checks to reach a new top level in the Xbox Accessibility Explorer Path on the Xbox Ambassadors website. Since launch in October 2022, the Xbox Ambassadors community has completed over 2.7 million quests to learn more about gaming accessibility and the features available. Become an Xbox Ambassador today and select the “Accessibility” tab on the Quests page to get a head start!  

• New Xbox Support articles, categorized by disability: Finding accessibility features you need for play just got easier. While many features are commonly used across a multitude of players, Support.Xbox.com has five new articles that detail the accessibility features available for players with specific disabilities, including speech, cognitive, vision, mobility, and hearing.  

Creating Accessible Experiences 

• New updates to Xbox Adaptive Controller: The Xbox Adaptive Controller was created to support players with limited mobility in building adaptive gaming setups unique to their needs. Based on community feedback from an update impacting unauthorized accessories on our platform, we are updating the Xbox Adaptive Controller to expand support for more accessories connected via USB port. This update will better support full functionality of some accessibility peripherals. Each port now supports up to 12 buttons, a second stick, and a hat switch. This update will be rolled out to Xbox Insiders over the coming weeks and available publicly via a controller update prompt in the coming months. 
  • Continued investments in accessibility: We appreciate and acknowledge that gaming with a disability is highly individualistic, and the solution for one may not be the solution for all. To that end, in addition to the Xbox Adaptive Controller firmware updates above, Xbox remains committed to: 
  • Continuing to innovate and invest in Xbox’s accessibility offerings –  taking into account feedback from the disability community and non-profit organizations to create products that elevate your gaming experience and cater to diverse needs. We look forward to sharing more updates in the future. 
  • Working with accessibility hardware manufacturers to become authorized Designed for Xbox partners: Recognizing the importance of expanding gaming for people with disabilities, we are accelerating and streamlining the onboarding process for these partners. 

• Receiving feedback from those in the gaming and disability community who have been impacted by the unauthorized accessories update on our platform: If manufacturers have particular peripherals they’re interested in partnering with Xbox on, or if players with disabilities have specific devices they’d like Xbox to consider, please connect with us by phone or chat via Xbox Support at https://aka.ms/XboxAccessibilitySupport.  

• Preorder for the Proteus Controller: The Designed for Xbox team has been collaborating closely with our partners at Byowave to develop the Proteus Controller, a modular adaptive kit giving disabled gamers the tools to build their own way to play. The unique modular video game controller kit features innovative ‘snap and play’ parts that easily connect together and comes with everything that gamers need to play their favorite Xbox and PC games right out of the box.  The Proteus controller is available for preorder today at byowave.com. 

• Improved Filtering & Sorting in My Games and Apps on console: You can now filter and sort games shown in My Games & Apps on console based on the accessibility or technical features they support. For example, if you want to find which games have narrated game menus, you can filter by Accessibility > Narrated Game menus and find your next game to play. 

Enabling Play with Expanded Accessibility Features 

On our accessibility journey, we know that to achieve our goals of making gaming a place where more players can have fun, we need to continue bringing new accessibility features to our games.  Below is a roundup of games to play with notable accessibility features. 

• New Accessibility features in Candy Crush Soda Saga: Candy Crush Soda Saga is excited to announce a new accessibility menu that centralizes all accessibility features including audio, visual, and haptic feedback. The new audio accessibility options include bass control, reduction of high frequencies, sound effects, music controls, and mono stereo, with a robust level of customization around bass control and high frequency reduction (currently available for iOS only). Visit the King Community Page to learn more.

• Accessibility features in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III: This past December, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III launched several accessibility features, including a settings menu update that flags features related to motor, vision, audio and cognitive adjustments with tags to allow filtering and greater customization. The newest feature includes a new accessibility preset called “Low Motor Sprain’ to reduce the physical effort required when playing by reducing the number of button presses or holds being required. Check out more details here.  

• Accessibility Updates to Diablo IV: In honor of Global Accessibility Awareness Day tomorrow, see how the Diablo development team is working closely with the accessibility community and finding new ways to expand access to gaming for everyone. Video link will be available via the Diablo YouTube Channel on May 16.  

Empowering Game Creators to Include Accessibility in Design & Development  

At Xbox, we believe bringing accessibility into development processes from the very beginning is the best way to include diverse perspectives and make gaming something everyone can enjoy.  To support others in creating more accessible experiences, we are excited to share the following creator and developer resources: 

• New Game Accessibility Workshop Toolkit: Inspired by years of accessibility feature innovations, Xbox Research has created a Game Accessibility Workshop Toolkit available for all developers. The toolkit includes instructions and visual assets to help game developers conduct Game Accessibility Workshops on their own. Combining the power of Microsoft Inclusive Design with Xbox’s approach to game accessibility, the toolkit makes it easier for developers to design with accessibility in mind, from the start. The Game Accessibility Workshop Toolkit will be live and available to download on May 16 at 9 am PT via the Microsoft Game Dev Blog.    

• New Article on Accessibility of Gaming AI Experiences: With the rising use of AI across the gaming industry, our Gaming Accessibility team has put together a brief paper on how developers can think about the applicability of accessibility with gaming AI experiences, along with ideas for accessibility innovation. Learn more at: Accessibility of Gaming AI Experience

Join Team Xbox as we recognize the more than 450 million players with disabilities who are part of building such a great gaming community!

The post Xbox Recognizes Global Accessibility Awareness Day appeared first on Xbox Wire.

Source: Xbox Blog
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• Category: Announcements

May 15, 2024

The Xbox May Update is Rolling Out with Updates for Cloud and PC

• Joe Skrebels, Xbox Wire Editor-in-Chief

Starting today, Team Xbox is rolling out some highly requested features to continue to improve cloud gaming across devices and screens where Xbox is available. Also, to celebrate the upcoming game launch for Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II, you will be able to experience a new channel on the Xbox app for PC.

Xbox Cloud Gaming (Beta) Updates

Use Your Mouse and Keyboard with Xbox Cloud Gaming (beta)

Mouse and keyboard support for cloud gaming will start rolling out today. You can now use your mouse and keyboard for your gaming experience on web browsers (Edge or Chrome).

To start gaming with your mouse and keyboard on web browsers, follow these steps:

1. Go to xbox.com/play.
2. Sign in with your Microsoft account.
3. Select a mouse and keyboard-supported game.

Later this month, you’ll also be able to use the Xbox app on PC by selecting a game that has a mouse and keyboard badge. From there, you will be able to use your mouse and keyboard to control the game, just like you would on a PC game.

Pro Tip: You can also switch between using a mouse and keyboard combination and your controller at any time, by simply pressing any key on your keyboard or the Xbox button on your controller.

Mouse and keyboard support will initially be available for 26 titles, including:

• ARK Survival Evolved
• Atomic Heart
• Cities: Skylines – Mayor’s Edition
• Cities: Skylines – Remastered
• Deep Rock Galactic
• Doom 64
• Fortnite (browser only)
• Gears Tactics
• Grounded
• Halo Infinite
• High on Life
• House Flipper
• Inkulinati (Game Preview)
• Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord
• Norco
• Pentiment
• Quake
• Quake 2
• Sea of Thieves
• Slime Rancher 2
• Sniper Elite 5
• State of Decay 2
• Terraria
• The Sims 4
• Valheim (Game Preview)
• Zombie Army 4: Dead War

PC Gaming | Xbox app on PC Experience Updates

Celebrating Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II With a New Channel

We can’t wait for the return of Senua on May 21 in a brutal journey of survival through the myth and torment of Viking Iceland. To celebrate, our team has been working on a special channel that will elevate the new entry in the series, while also making it easier to find the previous title. The channel will also feature a captivating video that we hope you enjoy. Go pre-install the game today and be ready for launch day!

Compact Mode Improvements are Starting to Roll Out

We have started previewing new Compact Mode features, including Jump back in and Friends, with a subset of players and with all Xbox Insiders. To learn more about the changes you may see when you access the Xbox app on PC, click here.

Help Shape the Future of Xbox

Stay tuned to Xbox Wire for future updates and all the latest and greatest Xbox related news. For support related to Xbox updates, visit the official Xbox Support site.

We love hearing from the community, whether you have a suggestion for a new feature that you’d like to see added, or you want to give feedback on existing features that could use some improvement. We’re always looking for ways to improve Xbox experiences for players around the world. If you’d like to help create the future of Xbox and get early access to new features, join the Xbox Insider Program today by downloading the Xbox Insider Hub forXbox Series X|S and Xbox One or Windows PC. Let us know what you think!

The post The Xbox May Update is Rolling Out with Updates for Cloud and PC appeared first on Xbox Wire.

Source: Xbox Blog
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Witness the end of the Wild West era, become the world’s greatest secret agent, take on the role of a rising underworld star, brave an alien world, and much more with May’s PlayStation Plus Game Catalog lineup! Red Dead Redemption 2, Deceive Inc., Crime Boss: Rockay City, Stranded: Alien Dawn, and many more titles are available from May 21. We’re also announcing new classic titles coming to PlayStation Plus Premium. 

Let’s take a closer look at each game. 

PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium | Game Catalog

Red Dead Redemption 2* | PS4

From the creators of Grand Theft Auto V and Red Dead Redemption, Red Dead Redemption 2 is a sprawling tale of life in America at the dawn of the modern age. The end of the Wild West era has begun as lawmen hunt down the last remaining outlaw gangs. Those who will not surrender or succumb are killed.

After a robbery goes badly wrong in the Western town of Blackwater, Arthur Morgan and the Van der Linde Gang are forced to flee. With federal agents and the best bounty hunters in the nation massing on their heels, the gang must rob, steal, and fight their way across the rugged heartland of America in order to survive. As deepening internal divisions threaten to tear the gang apart, Arthur must make a choice between his own ideals and loyalty to the gang who raised him.

Red Dead Redemption 2 also includes Red Dead Online — the multiplayer experience set in the living world of Red Dead Redemption 2 — ride solo or form a posse; run moonshine; battle lawmen, outlaw gangs, ferocious wild animals, and much more as you forge your own path on the American frontier.

*PlayStation Plus re-release.

Deceive Inc.  | PS5

Go undercover as the world’s greatest secret agents in this multiplayer game of social stealth and subterfuge. Disguise yourself as anyone to blend into the crowd, deploy high-tech gadgets to gain the upper hand, and extract the package before the competition takes it for themselves! No trick is too dirty when you work for Deceive Inc. 

Pick your play style with a roster of diverse agents, each with their own customizable weapon and skillset. From world-renowned burglars to up-and-coming espionage sensations, Deceive Inc. prides itself on being an equal-opportunity employer.

The Sims 4 City Living** | PS4

Take your Sims to the city and explore everything it has to offer, from bustling action outside your door, to unique situations that come only with apartment living in The Sims 4 City Living. Explore a densely populated, urban city with a variety of neighborhoods each with its own unique personality. Enrich and grow your Sims by taking them to different festivals all over the city where they can watch street performers, enter competitions, and meet different walks of life.

Experience the challenges that come with your Sims’ first apartment, then work your way up the penthouse of their dreams.

**Requires The Sims 4 to play. The Sims 4 is sold separately. 

Crime Boss: Rockay City | PS5

Take on the role of rising underworld star, Travis Baker (Michael Madsen), as you set your sights on becoming the new king of Rockay City. In the solo roguelike campaign, you’ll employ strategy and firepower to carry out cunning heists and claim turf from rival gang leaders, all while trying to evade capture by the tenacious Sheriff Norris (Chuck Norris). Work with your team of planners and handlers, and discover how they each ended up in Rockay City in thrilling flashback missions. Alternatively, form your own gang in online PvE multiplayer and work together to stage audacious robberies.

The Settlers: New Allies | PS4

The Settlers: New Allies is a strategy game with an in-depth build-up experience and real-time strategic battles. Choose among three factions: the Elari, the Maru, and the Jorn. Each has a unique look, playstyle, and background story. Experience a story-driven campaign set in the world of The Settlers, or go for the special Hardcore mode and its additional challenges. Play online with up to eight players in thrilling skirmish battles against other players or AI for long-lasting fun.

Stranded: Alien Dawn | PS4, PS5

Brave a new world in Stranded: Alien Dawn, a planet survival sim placing the fate of a small marooned group in your hands. Forge your story through compelling and immersive strategic gameplay as you make vital decisions to protect your survivors from starvation, disease, extreme weather and more. From basic camps to fortified bases, create a stronghold to defend the survivors from attacks by alien creatures that roam an expansive and deadly alien world. Experience an epic and unpredictable journey.

Cat Quest | PS4

Cat Quest is an open world RPG set in the pawsome world of cats! In search of your catnapped sister you pounce into the massive continent of Felingard – a world crafted in the style of overworld maps of yore and purring with cat-tastic characters, stories, and puns. 

Cat Quest II | PS4

Cat Quest II is a 2D open-world action-RPG set in a fantasy realm of cats and dogs. Under threat from a continuing war between the cats of Felingard and the advancing dogs of the Lupus Empire, CAT QUEST II tells the tail of two kings, brought together against their will, on a journey of paw-some discovery to reclaim their thrones.

Play as both a cat and dog as you explore their kingdoms solo or with a friend in local co-op! Quest in a world filled with magic, curious monsters, and go on a catventure like never before!

The LEGO Movie 2 Videogame | PS4

The alien monster invaders have left Bricksburg in ruins and taken Emmet’s friends! It is now up to Emmet and a host of heroic characters to go beyond their world and save their friends from the strange inhabitants of the Systar System. Journey into outer space, discover new worlds, and test your Master Building skills.

Watch Dogs* | PS4

Play as brilliant hacker Aiden Pearce, who is on the hunt for those who hurt his family in this open world, Chicago-set adventure. You’ll be able to monitor and hack all who surround you by manipulating everything connected to the city’s network. Using your smartphone, you have real-time control over the city’s infrastructure. Trap your enemy in a 30-car pileup by manipulating the traffic lights. Stop a train, and then board it to evade the authorities. Narrowly escape capture by quickly raising a drawbridge. Anything connected to the city’s CTOS can become your weapon.

*PS Plus re-release.

PlayStation Premium | Classics

2Xtreme | PS4, PS5

Snowboard in Japan, in-line skate in Last Vegas, mountain bike in Africa, skateboard in Los Angeles and more in this multi-discipline racing game. Compete in a season on 12 intensely insane courses. Two-player split-screen racing, 4 levels of difficulty and Create your own Player make 2 Xtreme a rush! Experience 2Xtreme (first released on the original PlayStation). enhanced with up-rendering, rewind, quick save, and custom video filters.

G-Police | PS4, PS5

Prowl the skylines in your weapons-loaded DASA-Kamov gunship as a member of the G-Police. Tear between, around and under obstacles like skyscrapers and bridges with 360° flight as you battle menacing rebel ships in the air and heavily armed vehicles on the ground across 35 strategic combat and flight missions. You’ll wreak havoc as you take on the hardcore criminal element terrorizing the gritty cities of 21st century Callisto. Experience G-Police (first released on the original PlayStation), enhanced with up-rendering, rewind, quick save, and custom video filters.

Worms Pinball | PS4, PS5

Prepare for an action-packed pinball simulation of pure wormage! Worms Pinball offers a table sporting 3D LED displayed sub-games and parallel objectives, transparent ramps, user-controllable moving gadgets, bounce and flip passes, bang backs, death saves… and much more! The depth of gameplay, variety of action, and sophisticated table rules ensure that Worms Pinball will have all gamers, not just hard-core pinheads, hooked.

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A note for our PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium members: as part of our normal content refresh, a selection of titles, such as Horizon Zero Dawn, will leave Game Catalog later this month. Members with Game Catalog benefits can still play these games until May 21. You can always check the ‘Last chance to play section’ on the PlayStation Plus -> Collections page on the PS5 console, or PlayStation Plus -> Games -> Games Catalog on the PS4 console for titles you might want to play before they leave the service. 

Source: Playstation Blog
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Get ready to set sail, me hearties! I’m Desmond, Designer and Artist at The Gentlebros and today we’re revealing some of the new crewmates and nefarious villains that await you in the newest entry into the Cat Quest series – Cat Quest III coming to PS5 and PS4 on August 8.

In Cat Quest III, players will explore a treasure trove of picturesque islands and meet a bevy of meow-sterious characters as they set sail in pursuit of the legendary North Star. Some of these characters will assist your adventures and prove to be valuable crewmates for the journey ahead… while other devious Pi-rats and nefarious villains will try to ruin your day! Let’s meet some of the new characters you’ll meet on this seafaring adventure.

Your trusty spirit companion, Captain Cappey is with you every step of the way on your adventures. His main goal is to be the greatest pirate that ever lived, although he’s long past the ‘living’ stage. Whether sharing their wisdom or explaining the ins and outs of being a pirate, Captain Cappey is the purr-fect guide for you.

This furrmidable feline is Mama Milka, proud owner of The Milky Barrel tavern, serving cats across the land milk instead of rum. She’ll offer some guidance to kick off your adventure in search of the mythical North Star, giving the first clues to take on Captain Meowtallika. Additionally, turn in Mama Milka’s pirate (or pi-rat!) bounties to get stat-boosting jugs o’ milk – an essential beverage for any would-be privateers! These equippable trinkets boost a specific ability or stat, like the Pawer Milk which makes the player attack faster the more they attack! Players can equip as many of these trinkets as they want as long as they have spare customization slots in their gear.

Brother of series favourite Kit Cat, Kidd Cat is a mischievous kitten and the local blacksmith. Throughout your adventures you’ll find a boatload of gear to customize your feline friend, from hats and eye-patches to boots and swords! Upgrading your gear with coins found in the world around you makes you both stronger and more durable in a fight, so you can take on tougher challenges. Be sure to visit frequently and enhance your gear to make a pawesome loadout!

Avast! Two nefarious pirates who are out to spoil your day: Captain Meowtallika and Captain Takomeowki! Captain Meowtallika is the leader of the metalhead pirates, known for their heavy metal concerts. Captain Meowtallika was inspired by heavy metal musicians, so we wanted the boss fight to reflect this and staged it on a literal concert stage! During the fight, Meowtallika will play various riffs on his guitar which correspond to different attack patterns that the player has to dodge in time – it’s sure to be absolutely electrifying.

Captain Takomeowki is the captain of the Spicy Squids – the tentacoolest crew who refuse to bow down to the Pi-rat King. Takomeowki was inspired by some of our favorite Japanese foods! Also, a lot of the development team loves bullet-hell shooters, and since Takomeowki is a magic user, we wanted to really lean into this and have players dodge a constant barrage of his hot and spicy magic! These ferocious villains will try to curtail your search for the North Star – so watch out.

The most furrmidable pirate in all the land – none have challenged him and survived to tell the tale! The Pi-rat King has been cursed so he can never die, but also never heal, hence his design, being an amalgamation of stitches and spare parts – he seeks the answers to end his curse and will stop at nothing to find them.

But that’s not all in Cat Quest III: there are many, many other villainous foes that we haven’t shown yet. Players can also face off with a 10-storey tall Cthulhu monster, a Necromouser, a giant raging Boar and so many more.

Do you have what it takes to defeat these unstoppable fiends? There’s only one way to find out – Wishlist Cat Quest III for PS4 and PS5 now, ready for its release August 8.

Source: Playstation Blog
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Available November 15, 2024: https://www.xbox.com/games/assassins-creed-shadows

Watch the official cinematic world premiere trailer of Assassin’s Creed Shadows.

Full gameplay reveal in June 2024.

SUBSCRIBE TO XBOX: https://xbx.lv/2EEjmaR

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Source: XBOX YouTube
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Create your own F1® team and lead them to glory!

Experience the most detailed F1® Manager to date with one of 10 official teams, or create your own to challenge the grid for the first time.

F1® Manager 24 launches July 23rd 2024. Pre-order now: https://store.playstation.com/en-us/product/UP0006-PPSA17630_00-F124GAMEPS5GAME0

#ps5 #ps5games #ps4games #ps4 #f1manager

Source: Playstation YouTube
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https://www.playstation.com/en-us/games/vigor/

Unfold the Chronicles and master your deception! In a broken world, sometimes deceitfulness can be the deciding factor of whether you live or die! In this update, you can collect the new Barracuda knife from the Battle Pass, the new Scarlet Reaver Premium Pack, the Deadly Blossom PS Plus Pack, and brand new seasonal challenges.

#ps5 #ps5games #ps4games #ps4

May contain content inappropriate for children. Visit http://www.esrb.org for rating information.

Source: Playstation YouTube
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